


Not All Who Wander Are Lost

by Painted_Scars27



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu-Gi-Oh! Series
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Dark Side of Dimensions, Dark Side of Dimensions Spoiler, Developing Relationship, Gay Character, Gay Male Character, Heartbreak, M/M, Post-Dark Side Of Dimensions, Post-Movie(s), Relationship(s), Tendershipping, it will be a happy ending I promise, tendership
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-25
Updated: 2017-04-04
Packaged: 2018-10-10 15:08:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10440564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Painted_Scars27/pseuds/Painted_Scars27
Summary: Ryou hadn't been himself, not since the loss of his other half—his yami—disappeared with the passing of Atem.He had never imagined losing a part of himself. Not even in a typical way. He had lost his father - and that memory was painful enough as it were, but this was different. How do you process your own death - when it wasn't even fully his own death? A part of him had died that day, however. He had to stare at his image day after day and realize that there was no guarantee that he would ever be able to fix the broken pieces.How do you pick yourself up when everything just feels so wrong? Couldn't it have been him instead? Not that he wanted to die... not really, not unless it meant he could see him one last time.His other half had been through so much already. To be lost like this. Ryou couldn't even be sure he was officially passed on. What if he was stuck in limbo again? As Atem and he had been previously. Stagnant for what must have felt like an eternity."What is this fate, Atem, was always talking about?"Ryou was destined to find out after all.





	1. Come Back to Me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SpadesDame](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpadesDame/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Blossoming Lotus, Resurrection](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10190681) by [Painted_Scars27](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Painted_Scars27/pseuds/Painted_Scars27). 



Ryou hadn't been himself, not since the loss of his other half—his yami—disappeared with the passing of Atem. Of course, it hadn't helped his coping when they had the run-in with the classmate they had called Aigami, even if his real nomenclature was Diva, whom had resurrected memories he had long buried deep within his soul. Demons he had wrestled countless nights with in order to maintain some semblance of sanity. Or appear that way, in the meantime. Around people, anyways. When the friend of Diva stumbled upon the not-long forgotten Millennium Ring that Ryou had forced himself to bury away in his mind. Of course—the evil spirit that Yuugi had told him about couldn't possibly have been _his_ Bakura. Bakura, albeit the deceitful, conniving spirit of the Thief King of ancient Egypt. It had to have been something, or someone else. Possibly Zorc. He would never know. Since Diva had banished him with the power of the Plauna to another dimension where he was almost erased. Or so it was said. He hadn’t known where he was or why he had been punished—save for the explanation of Diva that his spirit, Bakura, had once taken away Master Shin, or Shaadi, Diva's master, back when his father had found the Millennium Ring thus leading him to possess the bloody thing in the first place.   
  
A painful ache shot through Ryou at the memory. Both in his chest, ripping his heart apart, and in his mind, tearing away at the threads. The thought of it all was still very raw and hands down one of the most agonizing things he had felt in his life. The most painful was losing his yami. So sudden. He hadn’t been able to say goodbye. Not properly.  He knew Yuugi had lost Atem just as quickly; however, he had been able to say—granted an unfulfilled—goodbye to the Pharaoh passing back into his time after defeating the horrendous evil that was Zorc. His spirit had been a ploy in a grand scheme to try and destroy Atem.   
  
His eyes shot open. It was pitch black in his room. Dead of night. The only thing he could hear was the heavy pattering of rain from the thunderstorm thrashing about outside his apartment. The lightning was flickering to light up his room. It felt so empty now. The crash of thunder seconds later was deafening. He actually appreciated that it would drown out his mind, ever so briefly.   
  
He glanced at the time. Three-forty seven in the morning. He grabbed his phone, which was less than half charged. Apparently in his sleep, among the nightmares, he must have tossed and unplugged it from the charger. Again. That happened a lot.   
  
_'Oh well... at least it's enough to message someone, still,'_ Ryou thought. He knew Yuugi struggled with his loss just the same. Even though he felt Yuugi was better at _hiding_ , or masking, his sorrow from others. Ryou? He would just lock himself away. Forget to eat for days on end. Dehydrate himself. He couldn't bring himself to admit how many times Yuugi had just happened upon his doorstep to find the already pale young man, even paler yet. Malnourished. Sullen from lack of sleep. And in pain from lack of liquids. As if the shit in his head wasn't enough. But he was lucky to have a friend like Yuugi. After all those times, embarrassingly, Ryou had given Yuugi a key to his apartment. Just in case. He didn't mean to not care for himself. There were just times that he lost the will to go on. He didn't exactly want to die. But part of him wondered, if he did die, would he then be reuinted with _him_?   
  
Ryou wasn't a religious man. His father had been very cultured. Travelled the world. Well-versed in a plethora of the worlds knowledge. Religions and otherwise. But he probably considered himself agnostic at most; though even that was stretching it. He knew there was something out there. He knew about Memory World. There was something that created the ancient magic that brought the spirits to their time. A god? Gods? He couldn't say. He didn't care to, honestly.

Nevertheless, it did leave him with a void. Nothing to pull from to place just where his ancient spirit resided. If it was not, in fact, still intertwined with the Millennium Ring—or the Millennium Items, themselves.   
  
Where was he?  
  
Almost subconsciously, he typed a message to Yuugi. Sounding a bit more distressed than he meant for it to sound.   
  
_《_ _If you are up, and not busy (and please if you are busy do disregard this message), I could use some company_ _》_  
  
Before he could retract the text, it highlighted the 'delivered' notification.   
  
"Damn it," Ryou muttered. He was awake enough now as it were, so he might as well get out of bed.  
  
He had recently learned about the newest relationship of his best friend—and he would suffice to say that they had become quite the best of friends, Yuugi and himself. And the ultimate surprise that was the return of Atem to their world. Alive and well. Of course, it was not just Atem who was dating Yuugi in the other 'surprise', though to Ryou, he had pegged long before. They had begun dating Kaiba Seto, together. Well, Yuugi had been in a relationship with Kaiba for a while. Atem was the new addition to everything.   
  
But that was beside the point. He felt bad reaching out at such a late (or early) hour. Especially when the three of them already had such hectic and complicated schedules and sleeping habits.   
  
It had been a couple years since things had happened with Diva. Nights like this just left him feeling desolate.   
  
Ryou sluggishly pulled himself from his bed. It was cold and damp from the horrible night sweats he caught in the midst of the night terrors that plagued him. He shuffled to the bathroom to quickly shower... so he didn't smell or look as awful as he felt. And he _knew_ he looked awful. If Yuugi showed up, possibly with Atem in toe, and he guessed by the ding of his phone that it was a reply confirming, that they would know instantly his current state of mind was in dire need.   
  
He turned the knob in the shower to the 'H' and watched as steam slowly billowed through the bathroom. The water would hopefully provide him with a bit of life to deal with the interaction. Even if he had requested it, he didn’t always want company. Unless it was specific company—which was impossible even to desire. Yet he still yearned.   
  
With five-minute shower and a brush of his teeth, fresh clothes, and a kettle on the stove about to boil, the doorbell rang.   
  
_'So, no key today?'_ Ryou thought, gratefully. Well, of course, Yuugi would ring the doorbell and if he received no answer, he would resort to using the key to enter. Yuugi was a good friend.   
  
"Coming!"  
  
Ryou shuffled through his kitchen to the front door and took a breath before opening it. He decided the façade was not something he would even try and muster this time.   
  
He had been right about Yuugi bringing Atem. It was both a relief and an agonizing crack in his heart at the same time.   
  
Yuugi just hugged the taller, light-haired man. He took notice of the considerable amount of weight he had lost since the last time they had seen each other.   
  
"I'm glad you messaged me this time," Yuugi's sincere tone rung out.   
  
Ryou nodded, grateful enough that his friend really did care enough to take his message seriously, and hugged him back.  
  
"Well, the last time was... not my best. And tonight feels kind of like that."   
  
Yuugi give him a knowing look.   
  
"The outcome will be the same. I'm here."  
  
"Thank you. That's why I reached out," Ryou replied with a small smile, nodding to Atem in acknowledgement, "Hey Atem. Please do come in."   
  
Atem looked worried for their friend, but still managed to return the smile. He knew as well as Yuugi and Ryou how the pain was with losing a part of yourself. Losing another half of oneself. Being forced to another time, another era. Long before this world was even fathomed into existence.   
  
"It's good to see you, Ryou," Atem followed his younger half into the apartment. He wanted to be respectful, and be helpful and supportive in any way he could.

 

Ryou let the two in, shutting the door with a heavy heart. Not for the lack of great company, but simply for the absence of the one he would prefer.  
  
Yuugi turned to his friend.  
  
"What triggered it tonight?"   
  
"Nightmare. Probably from the storm."  
  
"I'm sorry. Anything we can do to help?"  
  
Ryou sat back in his chair, thinking deeply. He didn't move until the kettle blew and he went to make up a mug of tea, making another two out of habit for his friends.   
  
"I'm not sure. I just knew I didn't want to be alone..."  
  
"We won't leave you alone." Yuugi replied grateful for the warm drink.   
  
Ryou sat with them, looking up over the streaming mug. "Atem... did you know if he..." his voice quivered and he could only stop himself before breaking into a sob before collecting his thoughts to finish the inquiry. "Had you come across Bakura again before you returned here?"  
  
Yuugi glanced at Atem, who looked more somber than he hoped he would.   
  
"After I passed through the veil back to my time, unfortunately, I had not come across Bakura. I'm not sure what's become of him..." he hesitated. "I wish I had news otherwise."  
  
Ryou's heart felt like it was squeezing, churning, cracking more. It had been his suspicion, but he had a glimpse of hope when Atem had been brought back.   
  
But he straightened the crease on his face. He didn't want to worry his friends more.   
  
"It's not your fault. I just," a shaky breath, "wish I could have said goodbye one last time."  
  
"Maybe Seto could check it out," Yuugi suggested almost even surprising himself at the thought.  
  
Ryou's brow raised curiously, "How do you mean?"  
  
Atem was also looking at Yuugi, silent for a moment. No doubt inquiring through their bond.  Ryou knew all about that. He had shared a similar experience with Bakura when they shared his body as a host to the spirit.   
  
Yuugi leaned forward after giving Atem a look.   
  
"Well, he was the one who found the excavation site where the Millennium Items were last seen when Atem passed through after our duel. Then when Diva showed up and the Millennium Ring had been taken and used, it disappeared, but Seto took the Quantum Cube that Diva had used," Yuugi began to explain.  "He used that along with his own tech and space station to travel through time. That's how we ended up reuniting with Atem. I wonder if we could take you back? Or even just do some research. I'm sure Bakura is... somewhere?"  
  
Ryou listened; Yuugi was always so positive. Ryou himself had been the same way once. Before the break. He could barely remember that part of hisself.   
  
But maybe Yuugi was on the right track.   
  
Ryou had never imagined trying to reunite with the Millennium Ring. It had been involved with so many negative memories, that he hadn't stopped to consider... maybe it was the key to him finding Bakura again? If he was indeed still alive. In any period. Had the Millennium Puzzle been the key to finding Atem again? Well, it had been the drive for Kaiba at the very least.   
  
He nodded.  
  
"I suppose it would be worth the inquiry."  
  
Atem glanced at his partner. "Seto would do so if we asked it of him."  
  
"Even if I have to remind him of his own pain after not being able to say goodbye to you, yes. He will help us. But I doubt we will have to go to that length." He reassured his other half.   
  
Ryou watched their interaction. "If you would be so kind, I would be forever in your debt." He suddenly felt the urge to go for a walk and stood, despite his company and went to grab his coat.  
  
"Ryou?" Yuugi asked, watching him.   
  
They had all finished their tea. The storm hadn't stopped. It was still dark and chaotic outside.  
  
Ryou bowed. Turning back to his friends, "I need to get out of the house. I'm fancying a walk."  
  
"Do you wish for company on that endeavor as well?" Atem asked carefully. He knew as well as Yuugi that Ryou's state of mind might not be something they shouldn't monitor at the moment.   
  
"Actually I think I need to do this on my own. But I'll have my phone on me; if you get worried, please call?" Ryou was already gathering his keys and wallet and phone.

 

Yuugi took Atem's hand and used the bond to convey his thought.  
  
_He seems to need to take this journey alone for the time being. Let's go speak with Seto. I have Ryou's phone on the GPS. It's easy to track if we need to check on him._  
  
_If you are sure, then let us proceed. Seto got up when we left and went to do some work in his office, so I am sure he will be awake when we get back home._  
  
"Alright, let us know if you need anything. We will talk to Seto and keep you updated on what we might be able to find." Yuugi replied sincerely to his friend.   
  
Ryou walked over to the two and hugged them. It may have been difficult, but their company was more than he had expected and exactly what he didn't realize he had needed.   
  
"Thank you. I look forward to hearing what Seto might have to say on the matter." He walked the two to the door and once they left, hurried to get his shoes on. 

  
  
**

  
  
It was a quarter to six in the morning by the time Ryou stopped running. The sky was still clouded over, rainy and dark, musty from the rainfall overnight. Despite the morning beginning to transition.  
  
Ryou was soaked to the bone. He had retraced his steps all over town from the day that Diva had used that awful cube and magic of the Plauna to try and get rid of him. Anything he could recall.  
  
Something inside was calling to him. He didn't know what and he didn't know why, but he was determined to do his damnedest to figure it out.  
  
A long ways away from his apartment, in downtown Domino, Ryou leaned against the wall of a building. His feet were aching. Which was a surprisingly better feeling than the throb of his heart.  
  
He glanced up through drenched bangs. The white hair sticking to his forehead, nearly clouded his vision, but the familiarity of the building suddenly struck him.  
  
"The museum? Didn't..." Ryou began mumbling to himself, pushing off from the wall.   
  
After excavating for the Millennium Puzzle and coming across it, Seto and Yuugi, collaboratively took all of the Items they could find and had them put on display in the most advanced security Kaiba had ever invented, ensuring that absolutely no one—dark magic or otherwise—could touch them, in the Domino City Museum.   
  
Ryou couldn't remember if the Ring had ever been found again, but he was willing to try and search for it. For _him_.   
  
It took a little convincing, and regrettably a decent cash bribe to the guard, which Ryou wasn't entirely proud of however his mission was more important than any amount of cash, before he was roaming through the Egyptian exhibit long before operating hours of the museum.  
  
He made his way to the Millennium Items on display. He had to give credit to Kaiba. The security in place was impressive to keep those items safe. And he knew that Kaiba Corp was monitoring it for him personally 24/7 to ensure everything was kept as it was supposed to be.  
  
Millennium Puzzle. Millennium Rod. Millennium Necklace. Millennium Key. Millennium Scale. Millennium Eye.  
  
Ryou's eyes searched high and low. There were only six here. The Ring was missing after all.   
  
Ryou's heart dropped. This plan was not going to work.  
  
"Oh well... it was worth a look," Ryou heaved a sigh, turning back to leave the building. There was a lot of other artifacts and findings from the Ancient time during Atem's reign displayed. Tablets, scrolls and other book equivalent readings, tapestries, gems and other precious possessions.  
  
None of it mattered to him. None of it had a damned thing to do with Bakura. His Thief King. The one who had stolen his heart, as well as his sanity at this juncture.   
  
A torch on one of the displays lit as he made his way through the exhibit. Ryou glanced at it leery-eyed.   
  
"Hello...?" He asked, feeling concerned. "Is anyone here?"  
  
Ryou felt torn. His mind played tricks on him a lot. Part of him hoped it was just the guard on duty, but a part of him, deep inside, was hoping it was a calling out from another dimension.  
  
Then another torch much further down the hallway lit up.   
  
Ryou decided to go with his gut. It had to be a sign and not just a creepy coincidence.

 

He picked up the pace. Sweat dropped down the back of his neck, mingling with the rain water that still soaked his body and clothes and hair.  
  
"Where are you leading me?" He asked out loud to no one in particular, knowing he had the potential of sounding crazy. Though, he had become very partial to crazy.  
  
Two torches lit up a doorway ahead of him. It appeared to look like an entrance to an ancient Egyptian tomb. Elaborate. And seemingly disjointed from the Museum itself.   
  
Looking behind him, the way from whence he came had become very dark. The way ahead seemed to glow. A dull golden at first. Familiarity struck him again. A feeling deep in the pit of his stomach.  
  
"Is it in here?"  
  
He was met with silence, no more torches to guide him.  
  
Despite that unseemly blockade, Ryou started for the room. There was a reason he was compelled to look for the Millennium Ring. Something inside him was trying to convey the importance of this moment.   
  
Could there be security sensors in here? Possibly. Could they think he was trying to steal something? Potential property of Domino City and this museum, even? Absolutely.  A great chance. Could that land him in jail? Or possibly a psychiatric ward if he was to tell them he was seeing and hearing things.   
  
But he had learned a lot from a thief once. A smile pricked, the corner of his mouth twitching upwards little by little.   
  
After several moments of searching, he came up empty-handed.   
  
"Bloody hell, of all the damned things," Ryou huffed an almost defeated sigh, leaning against the silhouette of a statue of Horus. Something protecting this 'tomb', or portrayal that thereof.   
  
Suddenly, something gave way under his weight and he fell down below the exhibit. He could barely scream before he hit the cold solid floor beneath him.  
  
It was dusty... maybe a basement? Probably where they stored things not being displayed. Whatever the purpose of the space, it was not inviting.   
  
Ryou dusted himself off, what dirt he could reach. Everything else mixed with the liquid on his person forming a thin layer of mud.  
  
"Perfect... now what did I get myself into...?" he grumbled, feeling a little creeped out. "And how the hell do I get out of here?"  
  
He stumbled around in the dusty, dank basement for what felt like hours. It was probably only a few minutes but the space stretched the length of the museum. And it was eerily unlit in its entirety.   
  
Finally, he reached what looked like a cellar door above and a rickety old ladder.   
  
"Well... it seems my only way out," Ryou tried to reason with himself. He knew it was probably the exhaustion talking, but he didn't have the energy to try and figure another way out.   
  
He glanced at his phone, which read ‘no data’ from his current position. Even if he wanted to call Yuugi or Kaiba it would be useless. He didn't even know if the emergency services could ping him down here. He didn't even know how far down he had fallen. Or where he had wandered.  
  
All he did know, was that it was seemingly hotter than he remembered a moment ago. He had begun sweating. Probably out of worry. When he got nervous he began to overheat in situations out of his hands.   
  
Or maybe it was a lack of oxygen.  
  
Either way, he really wanted out of here. Finding his way to the ladder—even if it didn't look like it could hold his weight, Ryou grasped its rotting wooden edge.  
  
Something to his left caught his eye before he could hoist himself up. It was in what appeared to be the corner of the room. A crate of some sort. Not a poorly crafted box. Solid wood. But it wasn't its craftsmanship that caught his attention.   
  
There were hieroglyphs seemingly etched into the sides and a very prominent symbol dawned the middle of the surface facing him. It may have been dark down in the wasteland of basement, but Ryou's eyes were beginning to adjust.  
  
The symbol struck him and he hastily made his way around the storage and over to the box.  
  
His fingers swept along the symbol. He could feel the ridges.

 

"Why are you in the corner?" He asked, again, aloud, deciding to be brave and open the box. If it contained what he was searching for, it was going to be well worth this hell hole he had found himself in.  
  
Using what strength he had preserved, Ryou pushed against the lid of the box. It did seem to be sealed well, but budged some at his persistence.   
  
When an opening presented itself, he shuffled through some old scrolls, some jewelry, a sword or two, and a few arbitrarily unimportant objects. He growled in frustration.  
  
"What the hell am I doing? Of course, this isn't _his_!" Ryou shoved the box, almost hard enough to fall from its position and crash to the floor.  
  
He was fed up. Tired, hungry, and still incredibly upset over things.    
  
Sliding down the box in defeat, Ryou pulled his knees to his chest, hugging them. He should just give up.  This was as good a place as any. At least... he was close. Bakura had always loved creepy places. This would be right up his alley. Of course, he would have pillaged it first to see what loot he could find. The old kleptomaniac himself.  
  
A tear slid down his cheek, exposing his pale skin back to the world through dust stains.  
  
It fell from the rounded skin of his cheek, down onto a scroll that he had thrown out of the box.  
  
Wiping his eyes with his sleeve, he reached for the old papyrus clad roll.  
  
"Father did teach me some... I wonder if I could read this," Ryou muttered carefully opening the scroll.  
  
Again, despite himself, he listened to his gut and tried to throw out the despair he was feeling. If he was going to be left down there, he might as well learn something. He wanted to know why the box had called to him.  
  
His eyes drifted along the long-faded papyrus with hieroglyphics that were nearly nonexistent.   
  
It seemed to be a letter. What would be significant about a letter in this box? It wasn't as though it was a... sarcophagus. Though, these things did seem treasured.   
  
He squinted his eyes, trying to make out the symbols.  
  
"This was so much easier when he read things..."  
  
Suddenly a light shone so bright Ryou couldn't tell where it was coming from, an aura, pulsing. He knew that feeling. He knew it as well as the breaths he took.   
  
He sat perfectly still, eyes forced closed from the piercing anomaly. Once his eyes readjusted, the light had faded back once more to the stagnate darkness.  
  
"Geez... is this place haunted or what?" Ryou gazed around. No one in sight. Everything else looked the same, but the scroll in his hands was now very different. Cool to the touch. Metallic. And very golden in color. His heart began to pound in his head.  
  
It couldn't be. Beginning to panic, he forced himself to stand up, yet grasping the new object in his hands for dear life. He turned to the box as if to pack it back up and make it look like no one had interfered.  
  
But when he gazed down at the box, it was empty.  
  
Ryou's eyes widened and through the silence surrounding him, his phone ringtone blared from his pocket. Nearly falling at the unexpected sound, he clumsily pulled it from his jacket pocket.  
  
Service again, he supposed. Looking at the caller ID, it showed Mutou Yuugi.  
  
He didn't hesitate and his finger jammed into the green button to take the call.  
  
"Yuugi!"  
  
"Ryou?" His friend sounded very worried. "Where are you? It's been hours! We talked to Seto and have been trying to reach you, but your phone said the service was disconnected. You weren't at your place. In fact, it looked exactly as you had left it. I thought..." Yuugi's voice cut from the line, emotionally.  
  
Ryou knew.   
  
"I'm so sorry! I... I went for a walk about town. Ended up at the Museum this morning... and um, took a wrong turn. I got lost. Now I'm just trying to find my way home." Ryou told him the truth, for the most part.  
  
The relief in Yuugi's voice was apparent. He sighed.  
  
"Well, the most important thing is that you are alright," Yuugi spoke, but immediately rescinded. "You are alright, aren't you???"  
  
"I'm fine, I think..." It was also as truthful as he could be.

 

"Okay well I'm going to have Seto track you. I hope you don't mind. Stay on the phone with me," Ryou heard some muffled voices, one of them being the ever-annoyed sound of Kaiba as he assisted his partners.  
  
Ryou thought for a moment, staring at the object in his hand all the while. Questioning its existence. It felt real. It felt like his. But it also, did not.   
  
What did that mean? It obviously hadn't lost its magic.  
  
He looked up. Back at the ladder leering at him from across the room, and made his way over. Not noticing the box behind him deteriorating as if into thin air.  
  
"Yuugi," he decided to mention it to his friend.  
  
"Go ahead, you're on speaker, we can hear you."  
  
"Oh, good. I suppose it will be good for all of you to hear then."  
  
The rustling and muffled noise on the other end of the line died down once he had spoken. He had their attention.  
  
"I found it."  
  
He grabbed the closest rung on the ladder he could reach and began to pull himself up.   
  
"Found what?" Yuugi asked slowly.   
  
"The Ring?" Came Atem's inquiry.  
  
"That's impossible," Seto muttered from what could only be his attention to his computer screen.  
  
Ryou wondered if they were video chatting with him. It wouldn't surprise him. But no, Yuugi and Atem had said that Seto was home. Maybe it just sounded that way since he, himself, was on the move and they were chatting via speaker phone.  
  
"No, really. I'm not lying. I found it. And when you find my location, it is going to tell you that I'm at the Domino City Museum. Or close to it. I'm not entirely sure where I am..." Ryou said, feeling the ladder moan under his weight.  
  
He tried to pick up the pace, and slipped the Millennium Ring—or its look alike if for whatever reason it was not his Item, though he knew in his bones that this was it—around his neck to free his one hand, and pushed on the cellar doors above him as he continued his way up.   
  
There was a long pause from his friends, which was concerning to Ryou.  
  
"Guys?"  
  
"Where did you find the Millennium Ring?" Seto asked before he could get confirmation from Yuugi or Atem that they had heard him.  
  
"Does the museum have a basement or cellar?"  
  
Seto made a noise.  
  
"More like a warehouse, but yeah. Storage. Why?"  
  
"Then thats where I am, and that is where I found it."  
  
"But where?" Yuugi asked, this time.  
  
"In a box that had its symbol on it. Sort of in the corner in the dark. Really unnoticeable if you ask me."  
  
"But of all people _you_ found it?" Sarcastic. Seto again.  
  
"Of course _I_ found it. It's my Millennium Item," Ryou defended, finally getting the cellar doors open. And when they gave way, Ryou was face-to-face with what looked like a standard warehouse. And it was definitely in use for the museum as Seto mentioned. Workers were staring straight at him. "Oh shit. Um, I may have to call you back."   
  
He jumped up before he could be approached by anyone working there; no doubt they were alerting security and potentially calling the police.  
  
And ran like hell.

  
  
** 

  
  
Catching his breath, Ryou's eyes stared straight up at the gates of the Kaiba Mansion. Faster than he knew his legs could carry him, he had arrived to the home of his friends who had disconnected the call at some point during his trek.   
  
The gates opened promptly as Yuugi and Atem greeted him. Both looking incredibly concerned due to his appearance.   
  
"What the hell happened when you were there?"  
  
"I... it's all kind of a blur really. Can, can I sit down?" Ryou asked, through breaths.  
  
Atem wrapped an arm around Ryou's waist and allowed him to lean his weight against him with an arm draped around his neck.  
  
"We've got you, Ryou. Let us get inside and get you cleaned up. Looks like you also got injured on your journey. We will take care of that too." He motioned for Yuugi to go ahead of them and prepare, who didn't hesitate and ran inside, disappearing into the mansion elsewhere.  
  
Ryou glanced up at Atem, sleep beginning to fill his eyes.  
  
"This looks real, doesn’t it? I found it," he mumbled—full of exhaustion.   
  
Atem looked at the golden ring draped around his neck.

 

"That is the Millennium Ring, alright. I just don't know why it disappeared in the first place. And why it made you work so hard to find it," he wondered.  
  
Though he voiced out loud exactly what Ryou had also been wondering.   
  
"Unless it was trying to keep you safe, and somehow, now, it knows that you are." Atem said, helping Ryou inside.  
  
"In that case, I should like to thank him," Ryou mumbled, near sleep.  
  
"You mean, it, don't you?" Atem inquired.   
  
Ryou shook his head, despite how drowsy he was feeling and the fuzz that was buzzing about his mind.  
  
"No, him. _Bakura_. He would be the only one who would hide the Ring to keep me safe," Ryou answered, without any hint of irony. "You, yourself, hid the Millennium Puzzle after Diva and the Plauna used the Millennium Ring to try and destroy the world by creating a world of darkness and evil, right? It was after that event that the Millennium Ring was not found among the other Millennium Items and Kaiba and Yuugi brought them to be displayed there at the Museum. So, like you - not the Millennium Puzzle, but you, Bakura took away the Ring so no one would harness the darkness. The only one that can handle it is him or me. Just like the only ones that can handle the Millennium Puzzle are Yuugi or you."  
  
"Hn."  
  
Ryou and Atem turned their gaze to the stairs where Yuugi and Seto were descending.  
  
"What?" Atem prompted the tall brunette.  
  
"That makes a fair amount of sense, oddly, enough." Seto shook his head. "Despite the miniscule psychosis your friend is under the influence of."  
  
"You were under some miniscule psychosis yourself not too long ago and you made a fair amount of sense then, too." Yuugi used the stairs’ height to kiss his boyfriend's cheek.  
  
Atem didn't argue, and he looked a bit smug at his partner’s retort.  
  
Ryou took one last glance between the three before clutching the Millennium Ring and fading from the intense amount of exhaustion coursing through his body.  
  
Atem caught him in time, scooping him up to carry him entirely instead. Bridal style was easiest.  
  
"Do we have a room for him to rest up? When he wakes, he may still want to travel back - if you think we can make that journey again?" Atem asked, looking at their tallest lover.  
  
Seto just sighed and nodded.  
  
"It might be tricky, but I don’t see it being impossible. I've been looking for the Ring for a while and there was no sign of it anywhere. And he just stumbles upon it." He sounded exasperated.  
  
"If that isn't the work of the Thief King I don't know what is," Yuugi responded, nodding to Atem to follow him.   
  
"The damn Thief King." Atem muttered but followed Yuugi all the same.   
  
After laying Ryou in the guest room to catch up on some rest, the others went back to their room, deciding that it was past their bed time too. Since they had all stayed up throughout the night. It was only noon after all.

 


	2. Out of the Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Millennium Ring has been found. Now Ryou has to figure out why it returned to his possession. Will he be able to find his yami? And if he does succeed in finding Bakura, where is destiny leading them this time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Recommended: Please read the story this is inspired from- Blossoming Lotus, Resurrection. There are details pertinent to this chapter that will be answered in that story. 
> 
> Ryou. Bakura. Together. Yet still very much apart. 
> 
> This tendership will be an ongoing journey towards establishing their relationship. Much more to come. 
> 
> (Italics in conversation is Ryou)

 

It was so bright. Why was it so bright? Ryou’s eyes fluttered open painfully being struck with the sunlight spilling through the expensive blinds and curtains that had been partially opened in an unfamiliar room. It took him a moment to process things. Suddenly something very cool touched his arm and he sat straight up, grabbing the cool item.

“It wasn’t a dream!?”

Ryou glanced around the room once more; his eyes finally adjusted to the bright of day. He glanced at the clock on the wall. It was eight-seventeen in the morning? He rustled around his dirty jacket that was hanging on a coat rack in the corner of the room.

Who had a coat rack? Oh, yeah. Kaiba. He must still be at the Kaiba mansion. Ryou dug through the pockets for his phone, finally fishing it out. He gazed at the screen. It was… two days later? How long had he slept?

For almost a full twenty-four hours at the minimum. It had been nearly noon when he had reached the Kaiba mansion in the first place to tell Yuugi, Atem and Seto about finding the Millennium Ring. They must have let him sleep. Who knew he had been so exhausted? He knew he had been tired, but never imagined sleeping that long.

Ryou glanced down at himself. He looked awful, again. But only because he was filthy. Dust, mud, sweat and cobwebs were stuck to him and his hair – what a nightmare in and of itself! It wasn’t even white anymore.

“I wonder if they would let me use the bathroom,” Ryou thought out loud. Of course, Yuugi and Atem probably would. He just wasn’t sure how open Kaiba would be. Well, he had allowed him to stay with them for the time being. Filth and all.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door.

“Do come in,” Ryou responded, trying to make himself seem as presentable as possible despite himself.

The doorknob turned and Yuugi appeared in the doorway, followed shortly after by Atem at his heels. Seto was nowhere in sight. Which of course didn’t surprise Ryou, but he smiled graciously towards his friends.

“Oh, good morning.” He replied.

Yuugi smiled, hugging Ryou. “It’s so good to see you awake. You gave us quite the scare before.”

Atem nodded but held a gentle smile, “Not that you didn’t have a good reason to scare us, we are just glad that you are well.”

“Thank you, I am sorry I frightened you both. Have I really been asleep this whole time?”

“Since Tuesday,” Atem mentioned. “You fell asleep not long after you made it to the mansion and we kept an eye on you until now. You had us worried.”

Ryou nodded. “Seems I needed the rest more than I expected.”

“Well no better place to catch up than with friends. How are you feeling?” Yuugi asked with a smile, trying to gauge his friend’s behavior. Ryou didn’t seem as erratic or uncertain as before, but sometimes that came later. The front wouldn’t tell all.

Ryou picked a cobweb from his bangs, looking up at the two in his presence. He did feel lighter, somewhat.

“I feel… Like a load has been lifted. The disappearance of the Millennium Ring was cause for relief in the beginning, but it grew to be painful recently. Now that it has found its way back to me, well, I am… hesitantly hopeful that there is a reason for it to have done so. If that makes any sense.”

Atem and Yuugi nodded their agreement.

“Destiny has a funny way of showing itself,” Atem spoke softly. “I sense its power. The Ring.”

Yuugi glanced at him and then at Ryou who was holding the Ring in his hand.

“That’s a good thing, right?” He asked.

Ryou answered before Atem could, “It means there is a presence that lingers… which remains to be seen. It does not mean that it will be a good thing, however.”

As much as he hoped that the Ring would lead him to Bakura. It did not guarantee that he was anywhere near finding him. For all he knew, the dark and dangerous evil that had been presiding inside the Millennium Ring could still be there, lurking in the shadows. Even if Atem had banished the last one to the Shadow Realm, there always seemed to be another dark force that replaced the last.

Atem touched his shoulder, bringing him out of the depths of his mind—for which he was eternally grateful.

“No matter what, we will help you however we can. In the meantime, why don’t you wash up? The bathroom adjacent to your room here has been prepared. There are clean clothes available and essentials necessary for you. Take your time. We will have some breakfast made as well.”

“And tea, right?” Yuugi added to Atem’s proposed suggestion.

Ryou just nodded with a smile to his friends. The two were the best friends he could ever have asked for in his life.

“Thank you. Hot tea would be wonderful, earl grey if you have it; if not, any variation will do. And I will wash up,” with that he bowed and left his hosts to enter the bathroom across the hall to shower and change.

 

**

 

Screaming. Always screaming. Even through the overwhelming darkness he could make out the exact pitch of the scream. He knew to whom it belonged, and it plagued him more. Even if the screaming was all in his head. It was a piercing sound. It shook him to his very core. He knew it well.

Mostly because he had been the one to cause those screams all those years. And now, he was alone. Wandering aimlessly through a realm of torture. Demented souls trying to consume him. He would let them if it weren’t for those screams in his head.

Ryou.

His other half. One he would probably never see again. It had been his wish, in order to keep him safe. Despite his screams and cries were etched into his mind, body, and soul.

If only he had had the chance to make things right with Ryou. Give him peace. The peace he deserved, after being tormented for so long by the darkness in his heart. That had possessed him through the Ring. He wanted Ryou to be happy. He would suffer an eternity of agony if it meant his other half was happy and cared for in his own dimension and time.

The void stretched on. He dragged himself along, hoping—though knowing the dark magic was not going to allow him to leave—not if there wasn’t another price to be paid in his stead. And there was no other that he would bring to suffer this fate.

No. If this was his destiny, he only could hope that his lighter self was in a better place. He knew that the boy was not in the Shadow Realm, but he also knew the workings of his mind. And his mind could be as terrible as the Shadow Realm.

His heart began to ache again, thinking about Ryou. He needed to stop. That was more painful than just accepting his destiny.  The destiny he had resigned himself to.

“Besides, the Ring has been lost on my order. For good cause. It isn’t as though I will ever see him again.” Bakura spewed bitterly to himself. To the void.

It echoed until the sound drowned out the screaming that had been plaguing his mind.

Not that it was any better, but it was a change. Maybe he should talk to himself out loud. Distract himself from the ever-growing pain in his chest. The pain was spreading from his heart to his mind, and all over his body.

Could one be numb but also feel everything at the same time? That’s how Bakura felt while thinking about Ryou. His host had been a gracious one. Despite all the shit he had put him through.

“Give it up, Bakura. He is better off without you.” He tried to convince himself of this fact. He really tried. But his mind wouldn’t let up.

He clutched his head, falling to his knees. A liquid suddenly began flowing down his cheeks. When he reached up to brush it away, he realized they were tears.

“Goddamn it!” He wailed, slamming his fists on the ground, hunched over as the pain spread throughout his body. “GO AWAY! He needs to move on. I know I shouldn’t be able to ask for anything from anyone. Gods included. But Ryou, Ryou is a good person! I can feel his pain. It’s in my head.  Just let him forget me, and let me disappear. It’s where I should be. After all I’ve done, after all I have put him through. Just AHHHH—” His cries flowed through him in waves.

Bakura lay there until the sobs died down, tears drying on his cheeks. His body had curled into fetal position, as the cries lessened, but the aftermath sending shocks through his body.

He clutched his eyes closed. It was cold where he was, but this position made him feel warm. It reminded him of how Ryou used to lay when he was having nightmares, and how Bakura used to come alongside and lay with him. Even if he had been in spirit form, their bond allowed him to feel the warmth and it usually would soothe the younger boy to a more restful state.

Suddenly the warmth began to radiate through him. The shocks becoming more prevalent. And a small ray of light burst through the barrier of darkness enshrouding him.

He peeled an eye open, slowly through the dried tears forming a crust around his lid.

“Light?” said incredulously, “What on earth—” the statement fell from his lips into a hushed silence.

Light never made it to the Shadow Realm. And this light, was not like other light. It wasn’t natural, like sunlight. It was power. And it felt familiar.

How could that be? He had specifically hidden…

Bakura sat upright, forcing himself out of the doldrums of his mind. Out of the pity.

Had it been found again? By… by him?

The light was calling to him. He knew it was a risk. The Shadow Realm was all consuming. He had been here before. Every time it was the same battle to get away, and that was usually when his power was the strongest. This time his will was weak, and his power even weaker.

But the light beckoned him regardless.

Bakura pulled himself to his feet, and began to run. He didn’t know where he was running, but the light felt so inviting after being surrounded by total blackness for so long.

The closer it seemed he got to the light, it jumped. And when it jumped, there was a moment he could hear him. _His thoughts_.

As if their connection was trying to reestablish itself.

Bakura had to know. He had to try. He knew he was very possibly certifiably insane, but this was different.

“Ryou!?” he called out, as loud as he could manage through the darkness.

It was then he felt the familiarity of another presence, and the light he had been chasing—like a spotlight—landed directly on him.

And an answer came back to his surprise. It was muffled at first, and sounded just as surprised as he felt.

_“Bakura!? Where are you?”_

He didn’t really understand the feeling inside of him, boiling up, but it was the most wonderful feeling he had felt in a long time. It was so warm and tingly against his chilled body.

“The Shadow Realm. Are you alright?”

_“I am now. Can we get you out of there?”_ Ryou sounded concerned.

They all knew the Shadow Realm was bad news.

“My power is weak. I don’t have the abilities I did when I possessed the Ring.”

_“I have it.”_

The thought struck him like a ton of bricks. It really was Ryou he was talking to. Not a figment of his imagination. Not a scenario he was replaying in his head, made up from scraps of memory.

Despite his attempt to hide the Millennium Ring, it had found its way back to his owner. Well one of them.

“How? Never mind; that doesn’t matter. Are you wearing it?”

There was a pause before Ryou answered.

_“I am now. Do I need to do anything?”_

Bakura could feel the power growing through their bond. The power of the Ring, the power of their bond—despite everything, the power of Ryou and the power of himself.

“No, you shouldn’t have to do anything else. You’ve done quite enough.” He answered honestly. “You found the Ring.”

_“It allowed me to find it. I guess missing you did not go unnoticed.”_

“I tried to keep it hidden to keep you safe, Ryou.”

_“I would rather be in peril but happy with you, than safe but in agony without you. Don’t you understand?”_

A lump caught in Bakura’s throat. Stupid boy. Stupid self. He still didn’t understand why this boy cared about him. The fact that he cared about the boy was beside the point.

“Yes… I just thought… I was banished, you were safe. That was important to me. Your safety… But I know the agony of which you speak. We may have been separated, but I felt it too.”

_“I feel safer with you, regardless of physical endangerments. Come back.”_

“It is not going to be that easy.”

_“But you said—”_ Ryou protested.

“I know that I said I have escaped the void of the Shadow Realm before. It is true. But I was banished this last time by a power greater than my own. I don’t know if I can break it so easily.”

He could feel the sorrow coursing through Ryou as he replied.

_“Please try,”_ it was a whimper.

There was a surge in himself upon hearing the desperation in his younger reincarnation’s self.

_“I’ll be damned if I don’t come through for you,”_ he thought, realizing all too late that their bond had been reconnected and it didn’t matter if he spoke it out loud or in his mind for Ryou to be able to hear it.

Before Ryou could respond, Bakura began to focus his energy. It was like picking up where they had left off.

“I don’t know what is going to happen Ryou, if I do succeed in escaping from the Shadow Realm. We have been separated for some time, and last I checked, my spirit has been long gone from your dimension. I am not sure it will allow me to reside in the Ring as it once had.”

_“I will find you, no matter where it takes you, if it does indeed allow you from the Shadow Realm.”_

A small smirk replaced the sincere smile that had settled onto his face upon hearing from his other half.

“You used to hate risk.”

_“I’ve become accustomed to it by now. It isn’t so bad.”_

His smirk faded some. Bakura had never meant to make this good person so reckless.

“Just be careful, being reckless doesn’t always suit you. Though I am grateful.”

He began to focus his energy once more. He knew the Shadow Realm was going to fight back upon his attempt to depart.

It had the multitude of times before when he had found himself in the struggle within it.

_“Hopefully this will be the last time you reside there,”_ Ryou mentioned, sending energy through the bond. If he could give his other half strength to help, he was going to try.

Bakura could feel his power increasing. Suddenly he light began to spread. Filling in the spaces surrounding him, decreasing the void tenfold. The Shadow Realm was fighting for dominance against the intrusion.

A cold metal began to materialize in his palm, as Bakura looked down.

“The Ring?” He looked up, knowing he couldn’t see Ryou, but the gesture was subconscious. “You still have the Ring with you, do you not?”

_“Yes, it’s around my neck.”_

“Then as it were when I was a spirit, I have a mirror of it,” He decided it was time. “Ryou, whatever happens, I will seek you.”

_“I am so happy to know you are alive, somewhere.”_

Bakura nodded. “You have no idea what a relief it is to know you are safe.”

With that he called upon the power of the Millennium Ring, and a brilliant light—brighter than the light connecting him and Ryou—shined around him, banishing the darkness around him. It blinded Bakura as he felt everything shift and an instant feeling of displacement as he was deposited away from the depths of the Shadow Realm flat on his back.

And suddenly, everything felt very real. Everything but the connection to Ryou. That was one thing he noticed immediately.

As he gazed around, he noticed a very different environment.

He scratched a bump on his head from where he landed, shaking sand from his hair. “This is not Ryou’s world… or, not his time, at the very least.”

Bakura gazed around at the never-ending sea of brown surrounding him. “It’s almost as bad as being surrounded by darkness. Except now it is not devoid of heat and light. It is the exact opposite.”

When he pulled himself to his feet, he noticed even his garb had changed with the shift. His skin was darker. Reaching up, he felt his hair was shorter.

“Ah, yes, Thief King,” He mumbled to himself as glanced up at the sun to find the direction he should be heading. If he was correct in his assumption. He had left the Shadow Realm, and returned to Memory World, the last place from which he had been banished.

His best—and worst—option was to find the Palace. It was a long shot, but maybe, just maybe, Atem would talk to him. He didn’t know what else to do. Setting foot in the palace was going to be a feat in and of itself, he knew. Everyone would know of the things he had done to gain banishment from the Pharaoh in the first place.

“Worth a try… I suppose rotting in a dungeon in Atem’s palace is better than wandering eternity damned by the Shadow Realm.” Bakura muttered, starting towards the Kingdom. It was going to be a tremendous trek.

 

**

 

He was right. Almost three days later, and nearly completely dehydrated, Bakura found himself on the edge of town. He was feeling faint. It had been quite some time since he had felt so drained. Hot, sweaty, thirsty. He would need to find water soon.

And elsewhere. He had no money to pay the townspeople for any goods, and he was not entirely sure if they would allow him to use their wells.

Still he was going to try. He may be a thief, but he didn’t want to jeopardize his situation further. And he needed to get to the palace to see Atem. It was urgent.

He found a tree, far to the left of the edge of the town. Tucked away by a very small, slowly deteriorating, oasis. Much to his luck. There was enough water to manage.

Bakura drank more than his fill, he was sure of it. But the water tasted wonderful. As if he had never had the liquid before.

He slid down the tree to a seated position, looking up at the sky. There were few clouds overhead and the sun was beating down on him. High noon, if he could still read the sun’s position correctly.

Something to his left caught his attention. A groove in the sand. Nothing like a natural dip caused by the movement of sand. This was… different. It looked like an imprint. Mechanical. He pushed himself up, finally gaining strength again with the consumption of water.

He walked over and knelt beside the distortion. There was a dark liquid that had been left behind. He reached out to touch it; it looked like tar or something of the like. Oil. It had to be oil. If it had been a machine that left this imprint in the sand. A rather large imprint.

What on earth could it have been? Something from the modern world though. His heart raced. There was a connection to the other dimension then.

Before he could fully comprehend what his body was doing, he turned and bolted for the town, and through it towards the palace. Atem’s Kingdom was grand indeed. It was almost exactly as he remembered it.

Upon reaching the outskirts of the palace, he saw the guards standing watch. Of course, getting through them was not going to be easy.

But there were only two options, he could approach them. As he saw it, they would have to take him to Atem seeing as he was probably still considered a wanted criminal. Or he could sneak around them, with only some difficulty, in which he would probably still be regarded as a criminal for the stealth.

Option one would be most efficient.

Even if he was detained for a while, it would be the quickest way to see the Pharaoh. And so, he waltzed up towards the guards nearest him. Sending them all on alert. They knew his image. It wouldn’t matter if he appeared menacing or not, they were going to take him into custody.

He just raised his hands.

“I mean the Pharaoh no harm…”

A guard grunted, approaching him. “Thief King, Bakura. I don’t know how you escaped, but the Pharaoh is going to want to see you immediately.”

He tried to hold back a triumphant grin. “By all means, if that is the Pharaoh’s wish.” He offered his hands to be tied, as they promptly were, and he was led by a group towards the throne room.

Something felt different about the palace. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but there was a different air about them.

As they approached the throne room, the two guards behind him, holding the ropes that bound him, stopped causing him to stop with them while the two in front of him went ahead.

He could make out the figures and voices of some of the council surrounding the throne. They were just far enough that the Pharaoh was blocked from view. He saw Mahaad, the one with the great dark magic, and Atem’s sworn guardian. Isis was on the other side, not looking a bit surprised by the information being relayed by the guards. Which was to be expected. She still beheld the Millennium Necklace. Beside her was Shada, who glanced his way, looking more concerned. He turned to Karim who was on the other side of Mahaad. A tiny woman he hadn’t had the pleasure—or lack thereof—meeting was standing on the other side of Mahaad, close to the throne. She had a headpiece similar to his. A disciple maybe. She glared his way.

He was surprised to not see Seth, among the group of priests, however. The great sorcerer himself. Seth was the right hand of the Pharaoh, if he was not mistaken.

Though, his voice finally reached his ears. Seth was present. Somewhere.

It wasn’t until the guards bowed that everything became clear. Much to the shock of Bakura. Sitting on the throne was none other than Seth. Atem was nowhere to be seen.

And Seth’s piercing gaze struck him, right in the eye. Bakura lowered his face to attempt to hide the residual feelings and glare deciding to come out in this moment. Where was Atem? Why was he not Pharaoh? Was he sent to some alternate dimension?

He pulled on the ropes binding him, testing them. They were strong, but the guards holding him were not and once they released their grips on the ropes, it would be easy to break free.

The priests and Priestess were looking at him, as the guards protested from his test.

One pressed the head of his spear into his back.

Bakura decided it would not be worth causing the drama. Tensions were already high. He needed to be able to talk to them. It was his only hope to get back to Ryou. Remembering his younger half, he relented.

“When I told you I mean the Pharaoh no harm, I meant it.”

Seth glowered, “How have you returned? Atem banished you, and—” he noticed the Item around his neck and immediately stood. “The Millennium Ring? Mahaad,” he prompted, but the magician was already striding towards the captive.

Bakura ignored the taller man coming his way, focusing on Seth, “Where is Atem?”

“How dare you speak to the Pharaoh out of place, besides the whereabouts of our previous Pharaoh are none of your concern,” Mahaad was terse, using a spell to hold Bakura in place, undoing the ropes from around his wrists. He looked to the guard. “We will handle it from here. Thank you.”

Bakura watched the guard bow and leave the throne room without complaint. He, himself, had never been very good at following authority, so this was going to be interesting.

“The Millennium Ring found me, that is how I returned. Although I did not know it was going to be to our time. I need to speak to Atem,” he mentioned, ignoring the heed from Mahaad.

Seth stood down from the throne, striding over to the middle of the room where Bakura stood held by the sturdy magic of Mahaad. The others held back either waiting instruction from Seth or for a reason to come to his aid as his personal protection.

“Atem is no longer here,” Seth’s curt response came, as he studied the criminal. “Why would the Ring listen to you and reappear for you?”

“It does belong to him, currently,” Mahaad spoke, a frown etched deep in his features. “He won it the day I died in that Shadow Game. Unlike me, he did not die. He was banished.”

“That’s right – you did die. How is it, then, that you are standing here now?” Bakura couldn’t stop himself from asking the question.

Two pairs of eyes glared his way.

“Time reconciled when Atem returned to the afterlife, somehow. We have not been able to decipher why. But certain things returned to how they had been previously. My life being one of those things, as my soul had been trapped in the Dark Magician, anyway.” Mahaad found himself answering him despite the indignance of it all.

Seth shook his head.

“To take it from him, we would have to duel him again and win,” he was irritated.

“Look, I don’t want anything to do with any of you. I will get out of your space, I just need to speak with Atem. If he is not here, where is he?”

It was the younger girl who spoke up; she had moved from her place by the throne nearer to Mahaad.

“He’s left us.”

“Mana,” Mahaad glanced back, shaking his head.

She bowed her head. “Sorry Master, you may as well tell him, though. He doesn’t seem to be accepting the answer otherwise.”

“Master? What is she a slave?” Bakura inquired, trying to use the Millennium Ring’s power to disperse the spell holding him in place.

“Disciple!” Mana nearly shouted.

Mahaad rubbed his temple, glancing at Seth. “He is not going anywhere. If we tell him, what harm will become of it?”

Seth was silent for a moment, but nodded curtly. “So be it.”

Bakura gazed between the two taller men, unamused. “It’s about time.”

“Quiet you,” Mana held a magician’s scepter out.

“Mana, enough.”

“Yes, Master. He’s just being so rude.”

“That’s his nature.” Mahaad sighed, refocusing. From Bakura’s viewpoint, he looked like he was having a hard time holding in some emotion. Which emotion Bakura could not tell, but his strain was showing.

Regardless, he spoke to Bakura, calmly, but his body was tense.

“Atem left our dimension to return to the previous one. He left some time ago with Mutou Yuugi and Kaiba Seto. We haven’t seen or heard from him since his departure. He left the crown and the throne to Seth. Even if you wanted to talk to him, it is impossible.”

Seth was looking away from the conversation, his body just as tense. Bakura could pick up on the feeling radiating through the room.

“I see… So, that must be what that impression was, something Kaiba designed.” Bakura replied. He understood that these people had been quite loyal to the previous Pharaoh and his departure had been difficult the first time, and now he was gone again. “If you release me, I won’t cause you or your Kingdom difficulty.”

“I don’t believe you.” Seth countered, walking over and making Bakura face him. “What is your business with Atem, regardless of his presence or not?”

“That is my business and if I cannot speak to Atem, I already know you cannot help me, and I am aware that you do not wish to. Release me.”

“You cannot talk to the Pharaoh that way—” It was Isis to protest this time, but Seth raised a hand to stop it short.

Seth looked to Mahaad, “Let him free of your magic.”

Mahaad was about to protest, but Seth’s strong gaze remained and he knew that Seth was serious about his decision. He nodded and released the spell.

Bakura simply watched, waiting as Seth took out a knife and began to cut the binding around his wrists. He waited until Seth was done and rubbed his wrists from the spots that were beginning to rub raw from the rope.

“You won’t find him,” Seth replied after several moments of silence. “We have tried.”

Bakura turned slightly as Seth spoke, but stopped as he listened to his words. They held a sadness. He didn’t know what compelled him, but he decided to be truthful. “I know the loss you feel. My spirit was returned, from that dimension, to the body of this world. I have someone there that I feel empty without. The things that occurred that caused my spirit and the Pharaoh’s to transcend to that time, if they had not happened, I would not know of the person that I miss. And the Pharaoh would never have met Yuugi or Kaiba. It’s strange being here again. This place no longer feels like my home. Even if it is my origin.”

“You wish to go back to their time.” Mahaad stated, shaking his head. “Atem would not have been able to help you, either. It was the tall one, Kaiba, that created the portal to our time. And then they found The Tablet of The Ancient One which provided Atem ascendance once more.”

Bakura stared at them suddenly.

“The Tablet? Where is it?”

Isis frowned, “It disappeared when the Pharaoh made his wish to return. It only answered to the one who wielded the Millennium Puzzle. It would not have benefitted you either way.”

“The Ancient One was from my village, or at least from the territory where my village used to preside. They were an ancient soothsayer. That tablet holds more mysteries than just being able to grant wishes. It is said that the gods granted it to the soothsayer, and from that tablet the Millennium Items were constructed. Yes, it is said that it was to obey the one wielding the highest power. Never specified that it was the Millennium Puzzle, as the Millennium Items were not created until long after the tablet was bestowed upon the soothsayer. Only because the one wielding the Millennium Puzzle beheld the highest power at the time.”

A frown drove its way onto Mahaad’s features as he listened, “Your point?”

Seth was listening, but the wheels in his mind were turning and overturning as Bakura spoke again.

“If we were to find the tablet again, we may be able to use it.”

“To do what send you back?” Seth drawled, tone icy.

Bakura shook his head, “It doesn’t have to just be me, but yes. I want to go back.”

“Wouldn’t that distort time and history? You cannot mess with it! If things are altered too far, you could destroy the very dimension you wish you return to.” Isis warned.

Seth glanced her way, nodding. “It could affect Atem. We’ve lost him enough as it is.” He turned his back, walking back towards the throne. “Listen, Bakura, fine. You are free to leave. But know this, if I hear that you are searching for the tablet, I will have you banished once more. We cannot help you get back… as much as we cannot bring Atem back to our time.”

Mahaad turned to Bakura also, “Despite our differences, if you do return… you seem determined enough to do so… tell Atem we wish him well. He is missed by all.”

Bakura nodded briefly, understanding their grief. “I didn’t mean to cause you pain from the memory.” He turned as well, walking out of the palace.

There had to be a way to return. Kaiba had done it. But how? All he could hope was that Ryou came up with something. No doubt he was worried now that their connection had been broken once more. Despite having the Millennium Ring.

He would find a place to wait. Even if he had to wait forever for a plan to strike him. Either that or a plan to strike Ryou. He would wait an eternity and beyond to be with him again.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone~
> 
> I give you a tendership from post DSoD. After all, Ryou deserves some closure just as much as the flareship tag ;) And I intend to give it to him. 
> 
> This story is (technically) a spin-off or collaboration of my other fic - "Blossoming Lotus, Resurrection" - seeing as it is going to mention (very briefly but important) information given there - namely other characters and various relationships to support the story.
> 
> As I said, this story is a TENDERSHIP. Not a presently established relationship, but it will be a developing relationship when the time comes. 
> 
> ****ALSO - dedicated to my lovely friend, SpadesDame, who inspired me to write again in the best way. I hope you love it darling! 
> 
> ~~~Warnings: this content may deal with some triggers. Death, depression, anxiety, (incredibly brief) mentions of (potential) suicide/suicidal thoughts. None to be taken lightly. ~~~


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